Her jubilant cancerversary

I wonder very often,

some or d’ other day,

we all were born

can it be an occasion,

for a celebration

and a bizarre

cake cutting function!

I did introspection

Who am I?,

why am I born?

for welfare of d’ planet,

what’s my contribution?

 By my birth, if d’ earth,

got overburdened

one more soul added

to existing population

is it apt to recall d’ day

that this day I was born ?

On a full moon day

in scorching summer,

Lord Buddha was born

Same day enlightened,

same day perished, gone

is it a day to celebrate,

 or to mourn, not known

In her early forties

my docile neighbor

diagnosed with breast cancer

Full range of surgeries done,

yet a lot of apprehension

Operated with success,

but all is not yet over

journey unusually long,

path utterly unclear

A lifetime’s savings spent,

back bone truly broken

uncertainty yet lingers,

no assurance given

Nothing is certain,

any damn episode 
can happen

cancer may return,

all of a sudden

protocol rigidly complied,

chemo, radio, target therapy

few advocated naturopathy,

including cow urine therapy

several follow ups

scrupulously done

tested, re-tested

at every turn,

After last check up,

declared cancer-free

jumped up and down

 as if a colossal victory

Relieved beyond belief,

as revealed by d’ doctor

Ha! an exciting message,

the cancer won’t recur

Desperate aura faded,

 recurrence panic over

war worries dissipated,
eased off cancer horror
A future faintly visible
to anxieties, a full stop
a fresh lease of life,
blazing rays of hope

 For me my birth day,

no occasion hence forth
no function, cake cutting,

I vowed, took an oath

 Happy birthday recital,

seems halfhearted, odd
fake smile on some lips,
appears entirely absurd

Hesitant palms forced,

unwanted clapping done
how many candles to blow,
to me not clearly known

 Obviously for her,

a rebirth from cancer
fought the fierce battle,
thrived a disease free year

 cake cutting kept pending,

for her jaunt, truly daring
she to blow a single candle,
free from cancer, a full year

 Ought to observe d' day,

to highlight her bravery
its no more my birthday,
her jubilant cancerversary

 

So, I never disclosed

 After days of

 misunderstanding,

detachment and frowning

she agreed for an outing,

to exchange feelings

Prior to a plan

 for a gala dinner,

 a casual visit to soup corner

Gathered courage,

invited her

 City subway soup corner,
not very far

After long silence,

a scope to date

a memorable day,

an opportune moment

    Here,    

every single evening,

a delightful evening

menu keeps on changing

A famed center,

but items too dear

of course once in a while,

money doesn’t matter

A long list of soups,

 in menu chart

each as expensive,

 as other ones

Hard to chose,

all swanky names

to spell out to waiter,

 our real choice

Whichever is d' best,

on our behalf, do select

“Too delicious,today’s special,

Loxodonta garlic colorectal”

Waiter jovially said,

order promptly made

not a word, we understood

“get it, if it’s really good”

OK, soup one by two,

crispy sandwiches, salads too

Sandwich toast, your favorite,

but how could u know it?

Lifted eye brows for a while,

I gave her a naughty smile

Your secrets known to me

U may or may not agree

Before she could respond,

soup dish decorously served

 Its aroma aroused hunger,

taste was incredibly better

D’ best soup, I’ve ever had,

in affirmation, she nodded

Great palate pleasing flavor,

least bothered of cost factor

It dispelled our differences,

recalled d’ past sweet days

Dropped her home

and returned back

opened lap top,

 surfed d’ net

curious to know ingredients

Wikipedia told,

it’s a colorectal decant

of grass grazing baby elephant

Loxodonta africana, 
found in,

 Kalahari deserts of Botswana

 

 from half digested grass,
 shrubbery leaves,

esters produced in rectum

by gut organisms

Chefs chop, slice,

simmer for months

an extract to satisfy

customers’ tongues

In an instant I felt like,

throwing it up

repeated tummy twitches

and stomach cramps

Rushed to d’ wash room

sweat on forehead,

entire stuff out,

with pieces of bread

 Gulped chilled water,

felt much better

Can’t forget

d’ best soup recipe,

of that fearful night

Tough to ignore,

better have it and forget,

never try to explore

Wikipedia in laptop screen,

 I calmly closed

 not to reveal it to her,

so I never disclosed